


A Conversation Between Brothers

by A_Marie



Category: Chicago Med, Chicago PD (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-07
Updated: 2017-03-07
Packaged: 2018-09-30 04:16:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10153472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Marie/pseuds/A_Marie
Summary: A conversation between brothers....Post One Chicago 4-Show Crossover Event





	

**Author's Note:**

> Since we don't know much about Jay and Will's mother, I made it up to move the story along.

Jay Halstead sat in his truck – he was lost, not physically but emotionally. He needed to be somewhere, anywhere but where he was in that moment. In bad moments, the times where he wanted to just disappear, he relied on Mouse. He was a CI but he was also the best friend Jay ever had, they would lay their lives down for each other and they had been through more together than he wanted to think about - which was how he ended up lost. Mouse had re-enlisted and was serving his country in parts unknown, an email here and there but the contact was sporadic, the life of an Army Ranger overseas. 

He had left the service and returned to Chicago with Mouse in tow, or maybe he was following Mouse, all he knew – they were together and they were staying that way. Jay was in a bad place when he got back, when his mother got sick and eventually passed and it was Mouse who pulled him out of the gutter every time. His brother was living the high life in New York, the doctor, the chosen son – Jay enlisted and became the hero – the son who served his country and laid his life on the line every day. Without even realizing it, the brothers fell into the pattern and it continued until they were only in contact a few times a year, usually by email or text. They hadn’t had a real conversation in years and when their mother passed, it was Mouse who sat in the hospital at her bedside when Jay needed a break. It should have been Will but he was too busy, he was always too busy, until one day – he was back. He was in Chicago and they were working through their issues, they were slowly becoming brothers again and it was a good thing. 

Jay had an idea of what Olinsky was feeling; he had lost people, many in combat, some in the transition back to civilian life and most of all, his mother. He found himself thinking of his mother, sitting by her bedside for hours while cancer ravaged her body and her mind. He held her hand, for hours, days, slept in hard hospital chairs all while his brother, the DOCTOR was in Manhattan living life without a care in the world. Jay had time to say goodbye, too much sometimes, Olinsky didn’t have that opportunity. His daughter was brutally and quickly taken from them, they didn’t get a final goodbye, at least not a proper one. Yet, with all of that happening, Olinsky asked Jay to extend his appreciation for all that Will had done to help his daughter.

Now, instead of heading home, he found himself heading towards Will’s apartment but then he turned and headed for the hospital, if there was one thing that hadn’t changed over the years, they both reverted to their childhood when it got to be too much. Will wouldn’t be home, he would be at the hospital, in the chapel that Jay had found himself sitting in many times, while their mother fought for her life and eventually begged for her death. Jay vividly remembered sitting by her bedside as she begged God over and over to take her away from the pain and discomfort, to bring her home. She had never lost her faith, while Jay and Will had moved past being practicing Catholics, their mother’s faith was unwavering, she went to church a few times a week, she loved her church and the priests that presided over the community. The same priests who visited her every day, spent time praying with her and for her, comforting her and preparing her for her death.

As he followed the hallways to the chapel, Jay found himself thinking of his mother and how he couldn’t imagine what she would have done if she lost one of her boys. She always said they were her life and even though they strayed from the church, she was sure she would see them in heaven. She used to tell Jay that she believed enough for all of them. Walking into the chapel, it was near empty and eerily quiet considering the noise of the hospital outside of its doors. 

Will sat in the 4th row, elbows on his knees with his head bent down. His shoulders were slack, he looked completely defeated and Jay was pretty sure the day had worn him down. Jay had seen death, in combat and as a police officer but he knew it was different than experiencing it as a doctor and putting everything you had into saving a patient and losing them anyway. It was a loss that you don’t get over, not easily at least, and he imagined it would be even harder when it was someone young with little to no life experience to leave behind and a wide open future ahead of them. He slowly walked over and slid into the pew next to Will and sat there, not saying a word. 

Will reached over and slapped Jay’s knee, a sign that he knew his little brother had shown up for him when he needed it the most. Jay put a comforting hand of Will’s back and the two brothers sat there, not saying a word. While Will continued to stare at the floor, Jay looked around the non-denominational chapel. It was painted beige with dark cherry trim and a small podium stood on the altar, due to the accessibility to all religions, the room lacked anything that would single out one religion over the other. A stark contrast to the old, well-worn church they attended as children.

Will finally lifted his head, “I’ve seen some pretty horrible things but tonight,” he paused and took a breath, “Tonight was rough.

Jay nodded his head, “For all of us. Yeah, it was.”

“I tried, Jay. I did everything I could for Al’s daughter but I couldn’t save her.”

“I know. He asked me to tell you how much he appreciates all you did for Lexi. “

“All I did was prolong her suffering.”

“No, you gave Al & Meredith a chance to say goodbye. They got to hold their daughter’s hand and they were there for her last breath. That’s a helluva lot more than some parents got tonight.”

“There’s a reason doctors can’t treat their own families. You can’t be objective, it’s too personal. What if I took it too personal because I know Al and because you work with him? I shouldn’t have worked on her.”

“You were the right person. Al trusts you and you gave them what they needed, honesty about the outcome and a chance to say goodbye. Those last few hours will stay with them forever and they have you to thank for that.”

The brother sat in silence until Will spoke up, “How’d you know where to find me?”

“I spent a lot of time here when Mom was sick.” 

Will turned, surprised by this revelation, “Really?”

“Yeah, really.” Jay paused, “It was hard, watching her die, begging for death so she wouldn’t be in pain. They kept increasing her morphine drip but it never really seemed to completely go away. Towards the end, it was just too much and this was the furthest I could run without leaving her for too long.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here.”

“I was angry with you for a long time, but now, I wish I was in your place because to see everything she went through, she wasn’t our mother at the end. She was an empty shell of the woman we knew. She asked for you at the end.”

Will hung his head, “Mouse said he was you, she was so drugged up she couldn’t tell the difference. She said she was happy we were together and that we had each other.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You know who’s not sorry that you weren’t here? Alvin & Meredith Olinsky. If the past was different, you may not have been Lexi’s doctor and they may not have had those last few hours with her. You did good today, you made a difference.”

Will looked over at Jay, “Thanks.” They sat there awhile longer until Jay broke the silence.

“Come on, let’s get out of here. Drinks on me.”

“Yeah, let’s go.”


End file.
